Dr. William Durante is a Professor of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Missouri.Prior to joining the University of Missouri in 2006, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Durante obtained his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Toronto in 1989 and then completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

The role of endogenously derived signaling gases and hemodynamic forces in cardiovascular.

Dr. Mary Taub obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The University of California, Santa Barbara in 1976. Subsequently, she did postdoctoral work at The University of California, San Diego from 1976-1979. During her post-doctoral research, she developed a hormonally defined medium for the established kidney epithelial cell line MDCK, and discovered that MDCK requires Prostaglandin E1 or E2 requirement for growth serum free. A similar requirement was observed form primary mouse kidney epithelial cells. In 1979, Dr. Taub became a faculty member in The Biochemistry Dept. of The University at Buffalo. She became an Associate Professor in 1985 and a Professor in 1992. Dr. Taub’s laboratory continues to study the mechanisms responsible for the growth stimulatory effects of PGE2 on kidney tubule epithelial cells, as well as the mechanisms by which prostaglandins and other eicosanoids regulated differentiated function, including ion transport. Eighty-five publications have come from this research.

My laboratory studies the signal transduction pathways mediating the stimulatory effects of prostaglandins on growth and differentiated function in kidney tubule epithelial cell cultures in vitro. Both primary cultures and established kidney tubule epithelial cell lines are employed in these studies. Initially, we developed hormonally defined media for the growth of kidney tubule epithelial cells. PGE1 and PGE2 are essential growth factors. The involvement of EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4 receptors has been studied by means of the pharmacologic approach. Genetics and molecular biology has been employed to study transcriptional control by eicosanoids. The relevance of renal prostaglandins in hypertension is being studied, as well as their role in cancer cell biology.

Dr.Alexandros Makriyannis holds the George Behrakis Trustee Chair in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Northeastern University and is Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of Northeastern University’s Center for Drug Discovery. He obtained his Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas and completed postdoctoral training in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of California,Berkeley. Following positions at Smith, Kline and French Laboratories and Tufts Medical School, he moved to the University of Connecticut, where he rose to the rank of Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology and Pharmacology.In 2005, he joined Northeastern University and established its Center for Drug Discovery, which has since expanded to 57 members. The Center is dedicated to discovering novel medications that address important medical needs, developing approaches and technologies that improve the success of finding new drug, training and educating scientists in the art of drug discovery and development. Dr. Makriyannis has spent the past two decades inventing and applying chemical, biochemical and biophysical approaches to study the endocannabinoid signaling system and exploring its therapeutic potential.A particular focus has been the discovery and profiling of novel therapeutic candidates for pain, Parkinson’s disease, metabolic disorders including obesity, drug and tobacco addiction. The results of this research continue to be presented in numerous publications in the biomedical literature and at international scientific meetings.Under Dr. Makriyannis’s direction, Northeastern University’s Center for Drug Discovery has been active in hosting visiting scientists from around the globe, presenting major biomedical symposia, attracting substantial research support from the National Institutes of Health, and collaborating on translational research with leading clinical facilities and hospitals.

Cannabinergic agents; drugs of abuse; structure and function of G-protein coupled receptors and enzymes; enzyme inhibitors; drug-membrane interactions; neurosteroids; endocannabinoid biomarkers.

Dr. Sugawara is Professor of Department of Advanced Biological Sciences for Regeneration Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. He graduated from Tohoku University School of Medicine in 1987 MD and  PhD degree from Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine in 1991.He studied in Professor William Chin’s Lab Division of Genetics,  Department of Medicine/Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Harvard Medical School until 1994. Thereafter, he came back to Tohoku University as Assistant Professor in Division of Nephrology Endocrinology and Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine. His main research focus is to elucidate the role of nuclear hormone receptors especially retinoic acid receptor and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma in the pathogenesis and treatment of hypertension atherosclerosis and kidney diseases. He is also doing many clinical works in Tohoku University Hospital, especially seeing patients related to endocrinology diabetes and hypertension Additionally.He is doing many teaching works in both School of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine.

The role of nuclear hormone receptors in hypertension, atherosclerosis and kidney diseases.The role of heparin sulfate in the progression of diabetic nephropathy.The etiology and pathogenesis if Cushing disease.

Cardiovascular Sciences: Increased plasma homocysteine is associated with stroke but it has  direct effects on the brain during a stroke which are unknown. Since Excitatory, amino acids are important in inducing brain damage, we examined the effects of homocysteine on the release of various amino acids in the striatum of experimental animals.
Medical Education: The research is directed towards curriculum development, innovative teaching methods and planning an effective assessment system in a new medical school.


 

I am trained in molecular biology and virology, and received my DVM and Ph.D degrees in July, 1997 at the Changchun University of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, China. From 1999 to 2000, I worked on chemokine regulated mRNA expression in microglial cells at the department of Psychiatry, University of Freiburg, Germany. I joined  the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia in 2000 as a research associate. In 2003, I moved to the department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida and worked on the development of high efficient, specific viral vectors to deliver the angiotensin II receptor 2 AT2R gene and the macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene or their siRNAs to mammalian tissues and study their functions. In 2009, I found a faculty position at the School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, China , where I am currently a Professor of Pathophysiology.

My main research interest is to study angiotensin type 2 receptor induced death of prostate cancer cells and other cancer cells.

Mohammad Newaz MD PhD is an Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy at Chicago state University Prior to joining Chicago State University in 2010 He was the Senior Scientist / Associate Professor and Head of Hypertension Unit in the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases at Texas Southern University, Houston. Dr. Newaz received his MD from University of Chittagong 1991 and PhD from the National University of Malaysia 1998. He has held faculty positions at the University of Science and Technology Chittagong Bangladesh National University of Malaysia and International Islamic University Malaysia before joining the Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in 2000. His laboratory focuses primarily on hypertension and vascular physiology using integrated investigative approach with special emphasis on understanding molecular events contributing to the pathogenesis of hypertension and its complications.

Present research focus involves understanding the role of Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors (PPARs), a nuclear transcription factors, in the regulation of vascular function in hypertension and renal failure. This research involves an integrated approach encompassing system biology using biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology and pharmacologic approach to address the hypothesis related to vascular function. Using transgenic animals, we are addressing the interaction of NO/NOS system, reactive oxygen species and PPARs in different model of hypertension. We are also focusing on GPCR signalling in hypertension and their modulation by PPARs involving GRKs.

Dr. Chaban received his PhD from Bogomoletz Institute Kiev and continued his training at Babraham Institute Cambridge UK. Prior to coming to UCLA, he worked at Nencki Institute in Warsaw. Dr. Chaban completed his postdoctoral training in Neuroscience at the Department of Medicine at UCLA and graduate training in Clinical Research at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science Currently. Dr. Chaban is an Associate Professor of Medicine. He received Wood Whellan Award from International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Fellowships from International Science Foundation European Science Foundation and UNESCO. He also received 2008 Presidents Award for Excellence in Service to Charles Drew University and 2009 Life Sciences Institute Emerging Scientist Award. Dr.Chaban is a Chair of Academic Programs and Assessment Review Committee at Charles R Drew University. He also serves as Head of Neurological Diseases and Mental Health Cluster of Research Centers in Minority Institutions Translational and Research Network which include 17 centers through United States. Dr. Chabans area of expertise includes hormonal modulation of pain transmission at the level of primary afferent neurons and nongenomic effects of sex steroids.

The primary focus of my research program is to elucidate the nociceptive pathways modulated by steroid hormones in nervous tissue. While a central site of this modulation is widely accepted,we study how sex steroids act on primary nociceptors and modulate the response to pro and anti-nociceptive signals, depending upon the nature of the signals interacting at the level of sensory neurons. Nociceptive systems are implicated in the etiology of functional disorders such as non-cardiac chest pain, interstitial cystitis, fibromyalgia, acute or chronic abdominal pain associated with functional bowel disorders, chronic pelvic pain. Incidence of episodic or persistent visceral pain associated with functional disorders is much higher in women than men,therefore, we study a novel concept that suggests sex steroids may play a role in modulating peripheral cross-sensitization between different visceral organs. Our studies may provide important information about the actions of sex steroids on primary sensory neurons or a better understanding of gender differences observed in the clinical presentation of functional painassociated disorders.

I am an immunologist by training, have done my graduate work at Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research and worked as post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Max Cooper. In the early days, I worked on T cell subsets, in particular, the T helper-1 and T helper-2 in Leishmania infection. Their balance determines whether the host or this intra-macrophage parasite takes control of the immune defense system. Induction of cell-mediated immunity promotes inflammation and production of nitric oxide for eliminating the parasites. Conversely, the disease will manifest if the parasite potentiates humoral immunity. Leishmaniasis is endemic in India. I found that the anti-inflammatory compound curcumin, active ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric, would increase the infectivity of Leishmania. These findings excited my interest in dietary anti-inflammatory small molecules, their mechanisms of action and their potential as therapeutics. I learned that certain dietary anti-inflammatory agents, parasites and endogenous fatty acids, such as 15d-PGJ2, lipoxins and dietary -3-fatty acid, resolve inflammation by inducing the transcription factor, PPAR, which in turn inhibits activation of NFB and iNOS. More recently, a novel dogma that inflammation does not resolve by dissipation but by active pathways that involve bioactive lipids has emerged. Our laboratory was the first to show that this resolution mechanism is also crucial for controlling chronic inflammation.

Counterbalance in Inflammation, Nitric Oxide Inhibitor and Leishmania Pathogenesis, Nitric Oxide Inhibitor and Leishmania, Pathogenesis, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate for Enhancement of Cisplatin Therapy, Food Processing and Health: Modulation of gene expression of inflammation mediators by processed foods, Modulation of Gene Expression of Inflammation Mediators by Food.

Dr. Karodeh took the Bachelor’s of Science (B.Pharm) Degree in Pharmacy from Howard University College of Pharmacy, Washington, DC, in 1986 and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) Degree from Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia in 2001. Dr. Karodeh has spent the past 21 years Precepting, Teaching and Mentoring students. Dr. Karodeh has been active in publishing pharmacy related articles, papers, abstracts and presenting posters in national and international professional meetings and conventions in addition to being on the Editorial Board of Archives of Pharmacy Practice, he is also a recipient of sizable grant and awards.
 

Dr. Shankar is an associate professor of pharmacy practice-psychiatry and director of the psychiatric pharmacy practice residency at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA. Dr. Shankar received his Pharm.D. from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska and also holds a MS degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina and MS degree in clinical psychology from CSU. He is Board Certified in psychiatric pharmacotherapy and is Certified as a Pharmacist Clinician (PhC) by the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy. He is a “Fellow of the Australian College of Pharmacy Practice”. Before coming to Western University College of Pharmacy, he worked several years as treatment review consultant and Clinical Pharmacist with the California Department of Mental Health and has been a member of the statewide psychopharmacology advisory committee during that period. Recently he completed training in the psychotherapy of pain at Utah University Pain Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

His research interests include the role of Autacoids and Mood disorders.
 

By twenty years, my research and clinical interest was mainly involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory disorders, especially a role of kallikrein – kinin system and coagulation system and related immunological disorders in pathogenesis, complication and treatment of experimental and human IBD. During my appointment in the Department of Gastroenterology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland, my investigations focused in a significance of coagulation factor XIII (fibrin stabilization factor) and fibronectin constellation in relation to intestinal bleeding and throboembolic complication in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) (1,2,3). In the years 1993 – to 1998, I worked in the Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center, Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, USA, since 1996 having Faculty position, doing research manly related to a role of the plasma kallikrein kinin system in experimental models of IBD in collaboration with Prof. DR RB Sartor, from the Department of Digestive Disease and Nutrition, Medical University w Chapel Hill, NC. Our data showed that the plasma kallikrein – kinin system is involved in the pathogenesis of experimental IBD in genetically susceptible Lewis rats (but not resistant Buffalo or Fisher rat strain) and that a specific inhibitor of this pathway may have a therapeutic potential in IBD (4, 5). Later on published, our results confirmed suggestions indicating that „a single point mutation of serine S11 is responsible for the increased rate of cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen in Lewis rats which is genetically susceptible to inflammatory stimuli: Blood 2003, 102, 2835 – 42. In other project collaborating with my Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, we also documented that the plasma kallikrein – kinin system, coagulation and platelets are activated in human active UC (6). In 1997 I have awarded in Poland received degree of DSc by Polish Scientific Committee (habilitation) in medicine – gastroenterology on the basis of dissertation, "A role of kallikrein – kinin system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease”. Since 1997\' I investigated a role of intestinal tissue kallikrein – kinin in experimental IBD (7, 8) in n collaboration with Prof. Dr RB Sartor, NC, and Chapel Hill, US. In the recent years I am working as a Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Associate Professor of Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences, doing research and medical practice (two large, prestige research projects founded by Polish Ministry of Sciences) related to a significance of intestinal tissue kallikrein - kinin receptors in the pathogenesis of human IBD and growth factors and angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of human IBD in collaboration with the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Medical University of Silesia.(12- 16), and coagulation study (10, 17). My recent projects were related to the tissue kallikrein – kinin system, and kinin receptors in colorectal polyps as well as a significance of angiogenesis related to kinins and grow factors in ulcerative colitis (15,16). In addition, I have experience to recruit patients with UC to clinical studies and in management and treatment IBD patients.(14). I am a member of Editorial Board of Inflamm Bovel Dis journal, Clinical Section. I was chosen as expert of European Commission to evaluate research IBD projects. In general, I have published mainly as a first author (or co- author) more than 70 full papers (total IF > 100).

Assoc.Prof. Esra AKKOL was born in Turkey. She got her Bachelor of Science degree in Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Turkey and got her Ph.D. degree in Pharmacognosy Department from the University of Gazi. She is currently working as a Associate Professor in the Gazi University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy. She served in many capacities in her field including service on several editorial boards and numerous review committees for journals such as Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Journal of Pharmacy Sciences, The Internet Journal of Herbal and Plant Medicine, International Journal of Genuine Traditional Medicine, Advances in Pharmacological Sciences, Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine and The Open Pain Journal. She has conducted 31 projects and 9 thesis in Gazi University. She has 127 published articles in SCI International Journals, 15 articles in National Journals and 3 chapters in International books.

Her research combines pharmacognosy and pharmacological approaches to focus on the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of different compounds isolated from plants used in folk medicine.

Dr Naj Sharif was educated and trained in England UK.He received his BS joint Honors in Physiology Biochemistry, 1978 and PhD in 1982, Neuropharmacology from the University of Southampton UK and conducted postdoctoral work at the Universities of Maryland and Nottingham. Dr. Sharif was a Staff Scientist at ParkeDavis Research Unit [Pfizer] Cambridge UK and Syntex Research/ Roche Palo Alto CA and a Group Leader at Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corp NJ. He joined Alcon Laboratories in 1992 and is currently a Director and Head of Core Pharmacology and Imaging departments.

Dr. Li received his PhD from Soochow University in 1997 and continued his postdoctoral training at University of Illinois at Chicago. He is an Assistant Professor at University of Kentucky.

The focus of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate platelet activation and thrombosis. We are seeking to understand the important roles of the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP/PKG pathway in the regulation of platelet activation and thrombosis under normal physiological conditions and during inflammation. We are also studying the molecular signaling mechanisms that regulate vascular permeability during inflammation such as sepsis. We study the two pathways that contribute to the regulation of the vascular barrier: The Src family kinases and  the NO/cGMP/PKG. 

Dr. Copeland graduated from the American University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In 1985, he graduated from Howard University with a Ph.D in Pharmacology. Dr. Copeland is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine at Howard University, as well as the Director of Medical Informatics at the Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library centrally located on Howard University campus. Dr. Copeland is a member of the Literature Scientific Review Technical Committee, a scientific reviewer for the Hazardous Substance Data Bank, member of the Environmental Health Information Partnership, all of the National Library of Medicine located at the NIH, and a member of the advisory board of the United Negro College Fund Special Programs in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. Dr. Copeland has authored publications in national and international journals in the areas of Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Drug Development for prostate and breast cancers. Dr. Copeland holds memberships in the American Medical Informatics Association, American Association for Cancer Research, Neurotoxicity Research Society, Society for Neuroscience and Society of Toxicology.

Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Drug Development for prostate and breast cancers.

Longstanding interest in the fundamental biology of angiogenesis in normal growth and development as well as disease. I was fortunate enough to be mentored by one of the leading scientists in this field, Dr. Judah Folkman. I have previously studied the nuclear receptors PPARs and their involvement in the regulation of endothelial cell function. To study the role of PPARs in cancer, I adapted a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques that permitted us to explore the importance of PPAR pathways in tumorigenesis.

Miao Wang, PhD currently holds a position of Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at University of Pennsylvania, where he finished postdoc and clinical research training and was appointed as Research Associate prior to current position. His research interest is focused on cardiovascular biology and therapeutic discovery of prostanoids (a group of bioactive lipids that belong to eicosanoids), vascular hemodynamics and inflammation, stem cell homeostasis and therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Miao obtained his PhD degree in biophysics/immunology from Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, and his BS and MS degrees in molecular biology from Zhejiang University. Miao published over 25 research papers, including those in JCI, PNAS and Circulation as 1st author or corresponding author.
 

Prostaglandin or prostanoid, cardiovascular inflammation, stem cell homeostasis and therapy, angiogenesis.

Dr. CG Gerin got her PhD in neurophysiology in 1996, awarded of the mention of Summa Cum Laude with Distinction. In addition, she holds a postgraduate university diploma of Vasculonervous Microsurgery with top honors as well CGG was employed at the University of Chicago and has been concurrently appointed as an assistant professor of physiology at CSU UIC and at Argonne National Laborator. During her doctorate CGG she studied the effects of motor function on neurotransmitter release within specific anatomical areas of the spinal cord in rats CGG pioneered a surgical approach and instrumentation for spinal cord and this led to national TV news demonstration in: Spinal Cord Injuries and New Hopes for Repair. As a faculty member, CGG has been thesis advisor in the field of genomics and neurorepair and regeneration of the spinal cord.

My extensive expertise in neurochemical challenges in spinal cord injury and regeneration after a trauma, in motor function and exercise, in gene therapy and molecular biology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson′s and ALS diseases, using in vivo and in vitro models, and gene profiling, gave me numerous tools to specifically address my research on totoxicity, neurotransmitter release in neurodegerative diseases as well as in injury models and pain models (Gerin et al., 2008; 2010)) and address therapeutic potential interventions leading to recovery of motor function.

I am an assistant professor in Department of Medicine Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and Vascular Biology Institute at the University of Miami. I received a MD degree from Gannan Medical University China in 1983 and a Ph D degree from Kagawa Medical University Japan.in 2000, I have completed 4 years postdoctoral training at Hypertension/Nephrology Division University of Minnesota and University of Miami.

Renin-angiotensin system, oxidative stress and nitric oxide in regulation of blood pressure, endothelial function and cardiovascular homeostasis, Vascular injury and insulin resistance in hypertensive and metabolic diseases, Scavenger receptor CD36, smoking and atherosclerosis.

Wangde Dai received his M.D. from Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, China, in 1999. From 2000 to 2002, he was a Research Fellow at the Vascular Gene Therapy Lab, Vascular Surgery Division, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California USC, Los Angeles, where his research involved improving endothelial cell retention on polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in vivo, and preventing neointimal hyperplasia on a cell-seeded polytetrafluoroethylene graft by transfer of nitric oxide synthase gene in a rabbit aorta bypass model. In 2002, he joined as a Research Fellow at the Heart Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, where his studies included cardiac cell transplantation therapy, protection of ischemic myocardium, and development of therapies for improvement of cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

His studies include cardiac cell transplantation therapy, protection of ischemic myocardium and development of therapies for improvement of cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

Wangde Dai received his M.D. from Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, China in 1999. From 2000 to 2002, he was a Research Fellow at the Vascular Gene Therapy Lab, Vascular Surgery Division, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California USC, Los Angeles where his research involved in improving endothelial cell retention on polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in vivo and preventing neointimal hyperplasia on a cell-seeded polytetrafluoroethylene graft by transfer of nitric oxide synthase gene in a rabbit aorta bypass model. In 2002, he joined as a Research Fellow at the Heart Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, where his studies included cardiac cell transplantation therapy, protection of ischemic myocardium, and development of therapies for improvement of cardiac function after myocardial infarction.

Cancer biology, molecular biology, hematology, tumorigenesis.

In the past, my studies have focused on inflammatory mechanisms associated with nephritogenic poststreptococcal toxins and with other models of immune renal disease. Currently, I am evaluating the role of the enzyme arginase in vascular dysfunction associated with coronary heart disease and nephropathy in murine models of diabetes as well as in angiotensin II-infused hypertensive animal models. Since arginase is a key component of the hepatic urea cycle, and has other important contributions in cellular metabolism, my major interest is to decipher the mechanisms leading to upregulation of arginase and to determine the short and long term effects of arginase inhibition on diabetic organ dysfunction.

Dr. Pradeep K. Karla is an Assistant Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Howard University, School of Pharmacy. The significance of Dr. Karla’s research involves the discovery of new drug efflux transporters on human ocular tissue, Cornea, which forms the primary barrier for topical ocular drug delivery. Dr. Karla’s research have demonstrated for the first time that these transporters play a vital role in decreased ocular bioavailability of drugs employed in chronic disease states such as glaucoma and ocular herpes. In-vivo ocular microdialysis studies in rabbit animal model have demonstrated promising results, where ocular bioavailability improved significantly with modulation of the transporters. Current research in our laboratory involves the screening of wide array of ocular drugs for substrate specificity of the multiple drug efflux transporters identified and testing of nano-ophthalmic/pro-drug strategies as drug delivery options for improved bioavailability. The long-term goal would be to develop an efficient ophthalmic drug delivery strategy for improved ocular bioavailability of drugs administered topically.

Dr. Karla is interested in implementing new technologies to promote active learning in classroom. Dr. Karla’s research in teaching method development involves integrating tablet touch interface of faculty and student tablet PC’s via Wi-Fi network to create a real time interactive platform. 

I am a Research Associate at the Department of Pharmacology, Emory University. I work with Dr. Lian Li and Dr. Lih-Shen Chin investigating the pathogenic mechanisms of Parkinsons disease. The implications of understanding this molecular mechanism will provide new insight into the development of novel therapeutic intervention for PD and potentially other neurodegeneration diseases. I received a M.D. degree from Tongji University, Medical School in 1997 and a master of Medicine Degree from China Medical University majoring in Neuroanatomy and Plastic Surgery in 2000.

 

Dr. Maria Kontoyianni is an Assistant Professor in Medicinal Chemistry, in the School of Pharmacy. She holds a Ph.D. in computational chemistry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she worked under the supervision of Professor Phil Bowen. After a post-doctoral fellowship with ProfessorTerry Lybrand at the University of Washington, she joined ZymoGenetics, where she focused on ligand-based design and homology modeling. She then moved to Research & Development of Fortune 500 companies, such as Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, assuming positions of greater responsibility focusing on various therapeutic targets in all stages of drug discovery.

Christoph HotzBehofsits is currently leading the cancer and immunomodulation drug development at NanIRx Therapeutics in New York NY. He has a graduated engineering degree in food and biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna Austria and a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Kings College London at the University of London UK. His research experiences include DNA vaccination/HIV at University of Bergen Norway postdoctoral cancer research at Columbia University in New York NY and participating in industrial and academic collaboration in his second postdoctoral research project focussing on diagnostic of radiation pathology at ASU Biodesign and HTGenomics AZ.

Dr. Amol Kulkarni received his Ph.D. degree from The State University of New York at Buffalo in 2006. He moved to the University of Pittsburgh where he worked as an associate director of the Combinatorial Chemistry Center (2006-2008). After a postdoctoral tenure at University of Houston (2008-2010), he is currently a faculty member at Howard University in Washington DC.

Stereoselective synthesis, Structural elucidation of complex organic compounds and polymers, Organometallic Chemistry, Development of new reaction methodology for the efficient synthesis of biologically active compounds, Chemical Biology.
 

Mamoun Alhamadsheh received his bachelor of pharmacy from Jordan University of Science and Technology in Jordan in 1999 and his doctor of philosophy in Medicinal Chemistry from University of Toledo in Ohio in 2004. He completed his postdoctoral trainings at Portland State University and later at theHoward Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University. Dr. Alhamadsheh is currently and Assistant Professor at the University of the Pacific, CA, USA.

Dr. Weiya Ma earned her PhD degree from Dept. of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University in 1996. Then she did two postdoctoral fellowships in Queen’s University and McGill University in Canada (1995-2000). She went to Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA to take a research faculty position (2000-2003). In 2004, she came back to work in Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University to work as a research associate. In 2008, she was appointed as an assistant professor in Dept. of Psychiatry and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University.
She has successfully secured operating grants from national funding agency such as Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Natural Science and Technology Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

She is leading a vigorous research team which focuses on exploring the role of PGE2 in the genesis of chronic pain states. She is well recognized in her field.

Dr. Varano della Vergiliana is currently a research officer at the Lung Institute of Western Australia, focusing on the role of mesothelial cells in pleural infection. He completed his Bachelors degree with honours in Pathology, which evaluated serum biomarkers of hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis C virus infected patients. Dr. Varano della Vergiliana gained research experience in the area of proteinase-activated receptors before receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia, which focused on the activation of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system on respiratory epithelial and pleural mesothelial cells.

Plasma kallikrein-kinin system, Proteinase-activated receptors, mesothelial cells, biomarkers of mesothelioma, parapneumonic effusion and empyema. 

Alexander Kouzmenko is a Founding Professor of Molecular Biology at the Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia, and a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences of the University of Tokyo, Japan. In the past, he worked at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, University of Melbourne, Australia, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
 

Nuclear receptor signaling, carcinogenesis, transcriptional regulation, epigenetics.

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq on 6 April 1978. I finished my B.Sc in pharmacy in the year 2001 at the college of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, Iraq. I have worked as a hospital pharmacist in the government sector and as a retail pharmacist in the private sector. In 2002, I was appointed as a teaching fellow in the college of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad and I assisted practical classes teaching in the field of Pharmacognosy for more than 5 years. Following this, I joined as a Master degree student at the Physiology department, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysiain January 2007 and I was granted the degree in May 2009. I have studied at the same school as a Ph.D candidate since August 2009 until present. I have received several awards such as the Vice Chancellor’s award, best Master degree thesis and best publication awards.

The main interest of research has been towards more understanding of the neural control of renal haemodynamic and excretory function. This has involved a close look at the key regulatory roleplayed by renal sympathetic nerves. Furthermore, explorethe functional contribution of alpha 1 adrenoceptor subtypes and angiotensin II receptors in pathophysiological states, with specific regard to hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, chronic and acute renal failure and diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Currently I work at the Chair and Department of Palliative Medicine at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, teaching palliative medicine and supportive care medical and nurses students from Poland and all over the world. I am also actively involved in the care of patients at day care centre, home hospice, out-patient clinic and an in-patient palliative care unit.

Chronic and cancer pain management with focus on opioids, Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, bowel obstruction, constipation), Quality of life assessment, Palliative oncology treatment.

My personal career in the field of cardiovascular research has as follows: Graduation from Athens Medical SchoolPhD student in 1st Cardiology Dpt of Athens Medical School. Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford.
Distinguished career moments:
1st prize in the Young Investigator Award ESC 2010.

Briefly my field of expertise in cardiovascular research is endothelial dysfunction and vascular redox mechanisms. Furthermore I am highly interested in the interactions between vascular wall and adipose tissue, and the role of the latter in atherosclerosis development.


 

Dr Dileep Rohra graduated with medicine as major from Sindh Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan in 1990. After that, he worked as a Lecturer of Pharmacology at the Chandka Medical College, Larkana, Pakistan. He obtained his M.Phil in Pharmacology from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi in 1996 and returned to Chandka Medical College to work as an Assistant Professor. In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious Monbusho scholarship by the Ministry of Education, Japan to pursue PhD.

Vanja Vucicevic Boras was born on 10.9.1971. She finished Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb and School of Dental medicine in 1997. She did her MS thesis in the year 2000 and PhD thesis in the year 2003. She finished residency in oral medicine in 2004 and became specialist in oral medicine. In the year 2006, she became assistant professor. During 2005 and 2006 she was on postodoctoral studies at University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.She published two books: Oral Medicine-from diagnosis till therapy 2005 and Infection control procedures in dental setting 2008, third one waiting to be published this year Differental diagnosis in dental radiology. She is author and coauthor of around 70 articles. Speaks English, German and Italian as well as Latin and Greek. She is married and mother of two.

Saliva, oral diseases, especially burning mouth syndrome, recurrent aphthous ulceration, oral lichen planus.

Dr.Muntané obtained his doctorate in physiology at the University of Barcelona (1992). He developed different research projects in the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) and INSERM U-128 (France) focused in the response of liver during acute and chronic inflammation (Muntane-Relat et al., 1995). Dr.Muntané moved to the “Reina Sofia” University Hospital (Córdoba, Spain) in 1995,where he studied the beneficial properties of nitric oxide-derived PGE administration during experimental liver injury (Muntané et al.2000; Siendones et al. 2004). The intracellular mechanisms of different antioxidants (α-tocopherol, N-acetylcysteine, Coenzyme Q) were also assessed in different experimental model of cytotoxicity in primary culture of human hepatocytes (González et al. 2007;González et al. 2011). Dr.Muntané joined the Biomedicine Institute of Seville (iBIS) (Seville, Spain) in 2011 where has developed different experimental strategies in liver cancer cells.

The multidisciplinary approaches of our research group allow us the identification of the role of p53 gene family members in different aspects related to tumor progression in patients with hepatocarcinoma and in different experimental models of hepatocarcinogenesis. We pay particular attention in the expression of cell death receptors and proliferation in liver cancer cells. Our main interest is to identify the molecular profile of patients with hepatocarcinoma which potentiates the antitumoral properties of actual antitumor strategies (sorafenib and everolimus).